Early Summer Waterfall Hikes

In Washington’s deep and
gloomy woods (and also in its arid, rolling hills), you’ll find an
abundance of falling water, from subtle cascading streams to thundering
falls that shake the stones to their foundations. In fact, our
mountains–the Cascades–are named for the multitudes of falling waters
you’ll find here.

One of the joys of waterfall viewing in
the Northwest is that you’ll
always find at least one flowing any time of year. Some are perennial,
falling year-round. Others are seasonal. Some stream from glaciers
heating in the summer sun, some are fed by winter rains, and others
course from melting snow packs in spring. Many can be reached by car,
but the most rewarding are those requiring a hike–either a short
wander
through the woods, or a grueling multi-day backpacking pilgrimage.

With the high country socked in with
snow until who-knows-when, we
thought we’d suggest some waterfall hikes that area accessible most of
the year but are most impressive as the snow in the mountains starts to
melt.